Corruption in Ukraine made the European Union think of getting a guaraee from Kyiv
American publication written by the European Union, after the disclosure of the results of the corruption investigation in the energy sector of Ukraine, which revealed the bribery of the close associates of the coury’s preside, they are seeking to make future financial aid conditional on the implemeation of some reforms in the governance of Ukraine and ensuring that similar incides do not repeat.
According to Isna, the European Union is seeking assurances from Kiev on future financial support to the coury after a massive corruption investigation uncovered a $100 million bribery scheme related to Ukraine’s energy sector.
Politico magazine wrote about this: Ukraine’s ai-corruption authorities revealed this week that some close associates of Ukrainian Preside Volodymyr Zelensky were apparely involved in this conspiracy. This led the Ukrainian preside to impose sanctions on his former trading partner and dismiss several senior ministers.
This eve has created a rift among Kiev’s European partners. From the poi of view of many, these revelations are a positive sign of the coinued independence of the ai-corruption regulatory bodies of Ukraine. However, some others wa specific commitmes from this coury to show that Ukraine is serious about preveing similar incides from happening in the future.
An EU official, who asked not to be ideified because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Politico that the “rampa corruption” uncovered in the investigation was “disgusting” and would not help the coury’s reputation with iernational partners.
He argued that this issue “means that the European Commission should definitely review the way the budget is spe in Kyiv’s energy sector, and Ukraine should pay more atteion and transparency in how the money is spe.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Mertes said on Thursday after a phone call with Zelensky: “We expect Ukraine to coinue to vigorously advance ai-corruption measures and reforms in the coury.”
An EU governme official said: “The preside (Zelensky) needs to reassure everyone – most likely by preseing a plan to fight corruption.”
The American media wrote: This scandal happened at a critical time for Ukraine; The coury faces a budget deficit of 41 billion euros next year, while EU member states are currely deadlocked over releasing a 140 billion-euro compensation loan to Kiev from frozen Russian assets.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry and energy ministry did not respond to Politico’s request for comme. But Zelensky said on Wednesday that “there must be maximum honesty in the energy sector in all processes.”
He added: “I support any investigation by law enforceme and ai-corruption authorities.”
Ukrainian Preside Volodymyr Zelensky in a meeting with British Prime Minister Kerr Starmer and French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron.
Ukraine’s defenders are concerned about its oppones using the results of corruption investigations
This article coinued: This scandal, which is the worst scandal since Zelensky came to power in 2019, has not yet prompted Kiev’s allies to threaten to cut off aid to Ukraine.
The European Union confirmed on Thursday that it will allocate 6 billion euros in new aid to Ukraine. Last week, Estonia officially approved 150,000 euros of additional aid for the energy sector of Kyiv, and it is said that Germany is also considering adding 3 billion euros to the amou of aid to this coury next year.
“It is painful to see the impact of corruption on the energy sector, especially as wier approaches and Russia’s brutal attacks on energy infrastructure coinue,” Lithuanian Energy Minister Zygimaas Vaichiunas told Politico. However, we firmly stand by the people of Ukraine; Our support will not stop.
It we on to say: Behind closed doors, European supporters of Ukraine worry that talking too much about the issue will fuel opposition narratives aimed at discrediting Kyiv and undermining its efforts to join the bloc.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbá, a freque critic of Ukraine, said in a message on social media on Thursday: “A wartime mafia network with numerous ties to Preside Zelensky has been exposed. This is the chaos that Brussels elites wa to pour European taxpayers’ money io.
Ukrainian Preside Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the European Commission headquarters.
An EU diplomat said: “By highlighting corruption scandals, they are only fanning the flames of those like Hungary who say Ukraine is a corrupt coury.”
Another diplomat also said: Those who are against Ukraine will use this issue.
“The taboo of not publicly criticizing Ukraine will be maiained,” said a former senior Ukrainian official, saying he expected Brussels to insist on making some aid conditional on reforms.
Ukraine’s defenders say the investigation is limited to one company and argue that iernational backers should not punish the eire energy sector as a result, but some allies still call for more reforms.
The investigation focused mainly on Energotom – Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company – and accused seven officials of manipulating coracts to receive bribes worth 10 to 15 perce of the coract amou.
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